Higher Complication Rate in COVID-19 Recovered Patients Undergoing Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty

• Published in: The Journal of arthroplasty 2023-07, Vol.38 (7), p.S111-S115
• Main Authors: Lee, Anderson, Durst, Caleb R., Rezzadeh, Kevin T., Rajaee, Sean S., Penenberg, Brad L., Than, Justin P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19; perioperative complications; total hip arthroplasty; total joint arthoplasty; total knee arthroplasty
• ISSN: 0883-5403; 1532-8406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2023.04.043

There is limited data reviewing complication risks associated with total joint arthroplasty (TJA) after recovering from COVID-19. This study evaluated complications within 90 days of TJA in patients who had a COVID-19 diagnosis at varying intervals prior to surgery versus a non-COVID-19 cohort. A large national database was used to identify patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in the six months prior to total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty. The incidence of complications within 90 days of surgery was recorded and compared to a COVID-19 negative control group matched 1:3 for age range in 5-year intervals, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and sex. There were 7,780 patients included in the study; 5,840 (75.1%) never diagnosed with COVID-19, 1,390 (17.9%) who had a COVID-19 diagnosis 0 to 3 months prior to surgery, and 550 (7.1%) who had a COVID-19 diagnosis 3 to 6 months prior to surgery. When compared to their COVID negative controls, patients who had a COVID-19 diagnosis 0 to 3 months prior to surgery had significantly higher rates of readmission (14.0 versus 11.1%, P = .001), pneumonia (2.2 versus 0.7%, P < .001), deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (3.3 versus 1.9%, P = .001), kidney failure (2.4 versus 1.4%, P = .006), and acute respiratory distress syndrome (1.4 versus 0.7%, P = .01). Patients who had a COVID-19 diagnosis 3 to 6 months prior to surgery had significantly higher rates of pneumonia (2.0 versus 0.7%, P = .002) and DVT (3.6 versus 1.9%, P = .005) when compared to their COVID negative controls. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 within three months prior to TJA have an increased risk of 90-day postoperative complications. Risk for pneumonia and DVT remains elevated even when surgery was performed as far as 3 to 6 months after COVID-19 diagnosis.